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Psalms in Meter


Psalm 118

5/19/2017

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The 118th psalm is a lesson in Old Testament theology.  It begins and closes with praise to God of his enduring love. It reflects those times of national difficulty when Yahweh provided the strength and courage for victory.  He can be trusted when the nation is surrounded by enemy forces.    Yaweh protects his people and, as we said, his love endures forever.       That is all Israel needed to know and it remains true in the Christian era right up to that final day when eternity breaks through.
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           Psalm 118
 
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good
His love endures forever;
Let Israel and her priests repeat
His love will leave us never.
 

I called to the Lord in my distress
Yahweh’s on my side;
When he is with me I need not fear
In his shelter I will abide.
 
It is better far to trust the Lord
Than put your hope in man;
Enemies surround me but with help from on high
I destroyed them for that was His plan.
 
The Lord is my strength, he’s rescued me again
Listen to the shouts of joy;
His mighty right hand has won the battle
Proclaim it so all can enjoy.
 
I will give you thanks for you answered my call
The stone discarded we prize;
What the Lord has done this very day
Is marvelous in our eyes.
 
Blessed is the name of the one who comes
May he join us and leave us never;
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good
His love endures forever
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Psalm 29

5/16/2017

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In Psalm 29 David call out to the heavenly beings to praise God in the mighty rainstorm that passes east to west from the waters of the Mediterranean sea, over the mountains of Lebanon, and on to the desert land of Syria. Throughout the storm the voice of God is heard in control. In the song, The Grand Old Story, the author writes, “I see your love of beauty in the sunset, I feel your awesome power in every storm.” Such awareness prompts the Psalmist to call on the angelic beings to lift their voices in praise to God, victorious over the broad expanse of the natural world. 
 
                     Psalm 29
 
Give Yahweh due praise, you heavenly beings
Praise his holy name;
Let it roll out like thunder over the waters
Its power the world sets aflame.
 
The voice of the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon
He makes mountains skip like a calf;
Lebanon leaps like a young wild ox
The Lord makes the lightening flash.
 
The voice of Yahweh makes the desert shake
Shouts of glory never cease;
The Lord is enthroned as king forever
He blesses his people with peace.
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Psalm 14

5/12/2017

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Psalm 14 deals with the fool, his character and his destiny. To deny that God exists is less a philosophical stance as it is a world-view that sets the fool free from any sense of accountability. Where there is no ultimate authority there is no penalty for living as one chooses. The longing of the psalmist is that Israel, frustrated at the moment by the evil deeds of the fool, might re-gather in its native land where shouts of joy will fill the air.
In his heart, the fool says, “There is no God,
So why should I follow his law?”
Thus their lives are corrupt and their deeds are vile
Not a one of them hold God in awe.
 
They’ve all turned away, no one does right
With all that is good they are bored;
They devour God’s people as if they were bread
They never turn to the Lord.
 
There they are, overwhelmed with dread
But God’s with us, what perfection;
The evil may mock the plans of the poor
But the Lord is our protection.
 
Oh, that salvation for Israel would come
What joy that will bring;
How happy his people when God brings them home
Let them shout for joy and sing
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Psalm 107

5/8/2017

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It’s easy to thank God for his love and kindness when we aren’t facing some serious problem in life. But when disaster raises its ugly head – well, that’s another story. Psalm 107 reminds Israel of her times of national misfortune when she “wandered in the desert wasteland,” when the tribes were “prisoners suffering in iron chains,” and when they “suffered affliction because of their iniquities.” Humbled by God, Israel turned to him and he lifted them out of their distress. Hence the theme, “Give thanks to God for he is good,” keeps appearing throughout their history.
 
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good
His love endures forever; 
Let the redeemed speak up and tell us their story
How God has failed them never.
 
Some were in prison, others died at sea
All were brought to their end;
They confessed their plight and cried out to God
They learned on him to depend.
 
He saved them from trouble, stilled every storm
Answered them when they prayed;
They raised their voice in grateful praise
Confessing that they had strayed.
 
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good
Especially in times of stress;
Even though life may turn out to be hard
He’s always ready to bless
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Psalm 115

5/3/2017

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Trusting God is the central theme of Psalm 115. He rules from heaven above and all the various gods of this world are impotent by comparison. So put your trust in him, Israel. In Yahweh you will find protection and blessing.
To you Lord alone, must glory be given
For your faithfulness and love;
While other gods dwell here below
Your reign’s in heaven above.
 
Those gods have mouths but cannot speak           
Ears but cannot hear;
Those who make them, become jusr like them
No need those gods to fear.
 
Trust in the Lord, you people of Israel                      
He is your helper and shield;
May the house of Aaron, especially the priests
Honor him, no sin concealed
 
The Lord won’t forget to bless his own          
The great and also the small;
May the Lord make us flourish, our children as well
May his blessing rest on us all.
 
The heavens above belong to the Lord           
But the earth has been given to us;
The dead are not able to praise the Lord
That is our sacred trust
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    Robert Mounce, retired in Anacortes, WA

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  • Paul
  • David
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  • John
  • INDICES
  • Psalm 118